Colours
by Roseling37
Summary: Phil has never liked Dan a lot, and Dan has never liked Phil that much. The feeling was mutual, until one day in art they were paired up for a year-long project titled: Colours. (I update Sunday's) (High school AU)
1. Chapter 1

_Hi! So this is going to hopefully be a chaptered fic, focusing on Phan but idek. Don't expect regular uploads, I suck at continuity. Anyways, thanks for reading!_

_TW/ swearing and self harm/suicide_

* * *

Dan sat at his table idly tapping his pen against the paint splattered table. He pouts out his lip and lets out a jet of air which ruffles his fringe. He looks up to the clock on the wall ticking away agonizingly slow. _When will this fucking class start?_ He wonders to himself.

Just then, the door the the empty room bursts open and in stumbles Phil Lester, the annoying boy a year ahead of him. Well, annoying wasn't the right word, more like _peculiar_. Phil looks around the room like a deer in the headlights.

"Hi,"Dan mumbles waving slightly to the boy.

"Is this the art room?" Phil asks, panting slightly.

"Yea, this is the place," Dan says quietly accidentally flicking the pen across the room. He curses something under his breath and yawns slightly.

"Cool, thanks...erm...," Phil flusters, trying to remember Dan's name. Dan cracks a small smile.

"Dan," He says. Phil's face ignites and he ducks his head.

"Yea, thanks Dan," Phil says, smiling sitting down at the table at the other end of the room. The two sit in awkward silence until the bell rings and everyone walks in. Chasity Smith*****, Phil's good friend, walks over and plops down next to him.

"Morning dweeb," She laughs throwing a arm around Phil's shoulder. Phil laughs and pushes it off.

"How was your weekend?" He asks, waiting for the teacher to walk into the room.

"Me and Emma met up, too bad you couldn't come, it was a _real rager_," She says sarcastically. Phil laughs. Chasity rocks back on the chair and puts her hands behind her head looking up at the painted ceiling.

"How's Emma?" Phil asks nervously.

"Annoying as ever," Chasity says with a big grin on her freckled face.

"_Really_?" Phil asks, poking at the sarcastic girl next to him. She sets her chair back down and turns to face Phil.

"You know, you've got a chance with her if you want! She fancies you, I hope you know!" Chasity says, a ode of seriousness in her voice which makes Phil get nervous. Chasity is never serious. Not to mention there is no way Phil will go out with Emma, she's nice and all but there is not much going on up there...

"Well, if you say so maybe I'll ask her out, but I'm interested in someone else at the moment," Phil says casually. Chasity gets a look of intrigue on her face and places her hand under her chin her eyes widining.

"Ooooo, who!?" She asks, poking Phil's arm.

"Not telling," He laughs, swatting her hand away. She rolls her big green eyes.

"Come on Phil! We've been friends for _forever_! Just tell me!" She says, exasperatedly. Phil grins and shakes his head.

"Not yet, not until he-," Phil cuts off his sentence quickly his face flushing.

"He?" Chasity asks, looking confused. "Do you have a crush on a guy!?" Chasity squeals. Phil flushes.

"Maybe," He squeaks. He looks up and see Dan staring at him, their eyes met and Dan flushes and ducks his head.

"Oh Phil now you have to tell me!" She giggles. Phil shakes his head, feeling a sharp pain growing in his head.

"Maybe later, right now I need to go to the nurse," Phil mumbles rubbing his head.

"Oh no, here I have some Depon," She says, passing Phil a pill. Phil eagerly swallows the pill rubbing his temples. Just as he's about to thanks Chasity Ms. Ruth walks in shaking her multicolored curls.

"Morning children!" She calls dropping her bag and jacket on her desk. "I've got some big news," She says eagerly, grabbing a notebook from her bag. "Ok, everyone up and stand on the back wall," She chirps clapping her hands happily. Phil and Chasity exchange a look, but go along. "Alright, so yesterday the principal approved me year-long project! So basically I'll be pairing you up into twos, and then giving you a medium I randomly chose and it's up to you to use that said medium in a way that it's not typically used for!" She practically squeals. "I'll be giving you more information next class, but until then I'll pair you up today and give you this class to brainstorm and once a week you can work on it with your partner," Ms. Ruth says. Then she starts listing off people two at a time. Chasity gets paired up with some drunken year 12, douche bag and she mimes shooting herself with he almost barfs all over the pastels they've been assigned. Finally she says Phil's name... then Dan's. Phil's stomach clenches and he walks over to Dan. They walk over to a table, then Ms. Ruth assigns them watercolors and the bell rings.

*She's not a youtuber or anything, I wanted to put some oc in here


	2. Chapter 2

_I'M SO SORRY OH MY GOD! I've been on break the past 2 weeks-ish and have been incredibly busy and I'm so sorry. I'm the worst at updating :( Somebody needs to heckle me into writing once per week. Anyways enjoy, this kinda sucks but whatever. - Rose_

* * *

Next Wednesday Phil sits eagerly in art class, over the week he's had plenty of time to brainstorm for their year long project and currently he's thinking a photo shoot with the watercolors crushed up and blow around like dust, but that's just an idea.

"Morning Lester," Dan says walking over and sitting next to Phil. Damn he looks good. His hair is slightly curly and his eyes are sparkling with early morning caffeine and he looks great. Phil's just about to reply when Chasity plops down next to Phil.

"Sup homeslice?" She asks yawning and throwing an arm around Phil's shoulders, like always.

"Morning Chas," Phil says, slightly annoyed on her dropping in like this. Chasity catches Phils tone and gives him a questioning look, to which Phil rolls his eyes. Suddenly her eyes grow huge and she grins widely. She whips her head around and looks at Dan who's doodling on the table, then back to me still grinning wide. She raises he eyebrows in a "is he the he you have a crush on!?", and Phil blushes furiously. Chasity claps her hands excitedly jolting Dan from his drawing.

"Hi! I'm Chasity Smith, wonderful to meet you. Dan is it?" She greets thrusting out her henna covered hand in Dan's general direction. Dan gives her a weird look but shakes it slowly.

"Yea, I'm Dan, nice to meet you. Are you a friend of Phil's?" He asks. Chasity nods, playfully putting Phil in a head lock and rubbing his head mockingly.

"We're besties!" She says cheerily, before Ms. Ruth walks in and yells at her for not being in her seat. She winks at Phil and Phil grows even redder, and then saunters away to sit with the foul smelling, hungover year 12. Dan gives Phil a suspicious smirk and Phil ducks his head.

"So, you come up with any ideas Lester?" He asks, grabbing his sketch book from his school bag. Phil shake his head, and pulls the school issued jumper sleeves over his hands nervously. "Alright then," Dan says, sounding a tad annoyed. He begins flipping through his sketchbook pointing out little sketches and doodles he had drawn about the subject. Phil's eye catches one, it's a simple drawing of a girl sitting on top on a crate wearing a white toga covered in drawings done by children. The sketch goes on to show her smearing the work then another shot of her wiping the colors on her body from the cloth.

"Wait!" Phil calls, as Dan goes to flip the page. He gives him a odd look.

"What?" He asks in an indignant tone. Phil blush a bit.

"I like that one with the girl and the toga," He say, pointing at the simple sketches. Dan rolls his eyes.

"Come on Phil! Out of all my out-of-the-box ideas, you choose the most rudimentary one?" He asks, his eyes twinkling with concern. Phil feels his face becoming red, and all he wants to do is run out of the room chaisiting himself for picking this stupid one over the brilliant lot. "Genius, this one is just creative enough to get by and easy enough to execute in a couple of days!" He says, his huge sparkling grin filling up his face. Phil feels himself relax a tad and smile.

"Really? I mean it isn't a very "unique" way of using them, but I suppose will be nice," Phil muses, picking up a pencil and sketching some more ideas for the shoot.

"Great, I'll write up the proposal tonight and send it to her this week. Then we'll start recruiting our model and the equipment and we can finish this blasted thing," He says. Phil can see the gears spinning in his head, working out the right academic words to use so that it seems like a much better project then what's doodled on the corner of Dan's sketchbook.

"Cool, I'll make a sign-up sheet for the model and try to hunt down some some nice photography equipment," Phil says. Then the bell rings, and Dan shoves his things away. Before he walks out of the room he winks at Phil, not just any old_ catch you later_ wink, but a flirty one which makes Phil's pastel heart melt, filling his body with color.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Wow ok, so this sucks so badly but here. Sorry for the crappy cliff-hanger, stay tuned I might update earlier than Sunday. I know it's short but pls be kind. ;( -Rose_**

* * *

It was Friday, and Phil stood out in the courtyard and hands shoved in pockets and his hair being gently blown about in the wind. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, waiting for Dan.

Suddenly there was a cough and Phil whips around to see Dan standing there smiling widely.

"Sup Lester?" He asks, walking towards Phil. Phil waves awkwardly, and Dan comes up next to Phil. "You lead the way, I brought the cash so we'll be fine," He says, his left corner of his pale pink lip upturning into a smirk. Phil stands there dazed for a second, then snaps out of it and blushes.

"It only a bit away, so we can walk ok?" Phil says, not waiting for an answer because he has no money and doesn't want Dan to pay for the cab as well. Too late.

"Hey Phil, we can just take a cab! I've got money for it," He grins, stepping in front of Phil. Phil looks down at the ground, trying his hardest not to look in Dan's warm chocolaty brown eyes.

"No come on, its only a couple blocks away," Phil mumbles, to scared to look up at Dan. Then he feels long gentle fingers cup his chin and pull it up gently to face Dan's. Dan's expression is concerned by sincere.

"Phil it's alright, I've got it. But if you really want to walk it's fine," He says softly. Passerby's whisper to each other and shoot them evil looks. A boil of rage fills Phil and he pushes Dan's hand away and kisses his suddenly. Dan makes a squeaking noise, and the people surrounding them gasp and rush by. Then Phil pulls away.

"Sorry, I can't stand homophobes," Phil says breezily then storms past Dan in the direction of the shop. Dan stands there stunned for a moment then rushes after Phil.

"What was that!?" He demands, jogging to keep up with Phil's brisk pace.

"All those people where being so rude, I couldn't stand it. Sorry I should have asked if it was ok first," Phil says, suddenly feeling utterly moronic for doing that.

"It's ok. I know the feeling whenever I go out on a date or something with a guy people always treat up like crap," Dan laughs. Wait what. Dan's into guys?

"Wait you're into guys?" Phil asks stopping. Dan laughs a bit.

"Erm yea, I'm bi so yea," Dan says awkwardly. "You?" Phil blushes and his heart begins to beat faster. He's never come out to anyone, ever. Does he really want Dan to be his first?

"Same here, I'm bi as well," Phil says looking at the ground. They walk in silence for a bit only their shoes scuffing and Dan's change clattering around in his pocket, fill their ears.

"So, how much longer till we get there?" Dan asks, breaking the awkward silence.

"It's right here," Phil says licking his lip, tasting Dan's cherry chap stick. Phil likes the way that feels. It feels like Dan has put his mark on Phil, making him his. Then Phil realizes that he was the one who kissed Dan, and not the other way around and he sighs.

They walk into the store and their fingers gently graze each others as they reach for the camera box. Phil pulls his hand back fast and Dan pulls down the box and cradles it under his arm.

"Come on Lester, relax it was just a kiss," Dan says patting Phil on his back. Phil blushes and balls up his fists, it wasn't just _a kiss_, it was Phil's first kiss.

"Fine, let me get the cloth and then we can pay," Phil grumbles angrily storming over towards the shelves that hold the background cloths. Phil's therapist said he had to work on his anger management and his expression of feelings, but for right now Phil doesn't give a fuck. He's _going_ to get angry and he's _going_ to explode with emotions and he doesn't care who watches. He snatches down a little box of cloth the right size and storms to the counter. He fumbles in his pocket for cash and buys the thing then storms out of the building, not caring if Dan's following or not. He knows he's got time before Dan rushes out to him, because he has to buy the stupid camera.

Phil waves down the nearest cab, and gets in angrily shoving cash towards the driver and demanding he takes him home pronto. The driver nods put the address into his GPS and takes off. Phil looks out the window and sees Dan standing there, holding a plastic bag his hair and clothes getting shook around in the wind and a look of utter sadness on his face.

"Fuck."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Bleep bloop, you can all yell at me I know it's reallly late. I apologize I have exams and stuff coming up and have been very lazy and lacking motivation._**

* * *

Dan sits on his bed, music blasting in his room. He scribbles something onto a empty notebook lying open in front on him. He quickly rips out the page and throws it across the room into the overflowing trash can.

"Why isn't this working!?" He calls out into his empty room. The heels of his hands push into his eyes in order to snub out the tears, which want to flow.

"Daniel James Howell! TURN DOWN THAT RACKET RIGHT NOW!" Dan's mother screams from downstairs. He takes a deep breath and stands up and walks slowly to the stereo on the other side of the room. He gently turns up the music, so that it hurts his ears and shakes his old soccer trophies from grade 4. He then flicks the lock on his door and walks over to the window. He pushes it open and a jet of cold March air assaults his face. He pulls himself up onto the ledge and shimmies out of the tight frame and out onto his tiled roof. He crawls across the heavily slanted tiles and towards the one flat outcropping above his brothers room. He settles onto the blanket and pillow he's hidden over there and stares up towards the sky. It's only 2 but the sky is already darkening and clouds cover every inch of the baby blue view. He can hear his mother banging on his door and feel a twinge of guilt. What if she thinks he's doing something bad in there? As Dan sits in his little alcove, his eyes feel heavy and he yawns.

"Jesus christ," He grumbles, as he stretches out, looking up at the bleak cloud filled sky. The normally light blue ozone is gone, replaced with a sad, mind-numbingly depressing slate gray color, which goes as far as the eye can see. Then Dan feels a drip of water on his nose and he bolts up-right. "Are you kidding me? Now of all times?" He whispers to himself, trying to alert his brother of his prescence. Dan slides farther under the small little outcropping of tiles, in an effort to stay dry. He clears his throat.

"If I just lay, up here alone. Would come over to say hello?" Dan sings weakly, tears forming behind his eyes. He can't believe Phil was so rude to him yesterday. Kissing him, then rushing away like that, Dan likes Phil, in a way Phil doesn't understand. Being bi is a whole other ballfield than being gay. It's easier to say bi, it's gives your family and friends a small glimmer of hope that you might fall in love with a girl. Dan knows that for a lot of people, they actually are bisexual and that's fine, but for Dan it was a cop-out. A "white lie", to make his parents believe he still might marry a perfect cookie cutter girl from church and raise a million blonde haired, blue eyed bible belt babies. That's just not Dan though. Nor will it ever be.

"Dan?" Somebody calls from the garden, breaking Dan's train of thought. Dan leans over the ledge and into the garden. To his surprise he sees Phil standing there, holding something behind his back with one hand and an black umbrella with the other. He clears his throat and Phil looks up in surprise. His face turns into a smirk and he grins widely.

"Phil?" Dan queries. "What the hell are you doing here!?" He calls to the older boy. Dan can't see very clearly from up this high, but he's pretty sure he can see Phil's cheeks getting rosier.

"I could ask the same to you! How did you get up there?" Phil responds, squinting his eyes to get a better look at Dan.

"I came out my window," Dan laughs, surprised with how silly it sounds, when spoken outloud.

"Classy. Mind if I come join you?" Phil asks, rocking up onto his toes. Dan looks around at the musty duvet he's sitting on and the spiderwebs in the corners, and begins to fret. What if Phil isn't ok with this? What if he's grossed out? What if this makes Phil not like Dan?

"Erm… no I'll come down to get you I guess," Dan says. "Meet me in the front," He says hopping up and starting the treatrous journey to his window sill, on the now slightly damp tiles from the misting earlier.

Dan pops back into his room and quickly kicks his stuff under his bed, and then unlocks the door and runs downstairs to the main doorway. He opens the door to see Phil standing there, looking adorable in a pair of black jeans, a yoshi tee-shirt, and a red jacket. He has a black back-pack slung over his shoulders and is caring a small grocery bag and his umbrella is opened and above his head.

"Hi, mind if I come in?" He asks. Dan shakes his head and steps out of the way.

"Exscuse the mess, I didn't plan on guests today," Dan blushes, suddenly aware of every candy-wrapper, strewn sock, wrinkled couch cushion, and every single dog hair floating around his house, and quickly shuts the door and drags Phil up to his room. When they reach his room, Phil drops Dan's hand. Dan crinkles his nose and bashes himself for grabbing his hand in the first place. "Welcome to Casa De Dan," Dan says showing off his room. Phil's eyes digest the mess of video game memorabilia, clothing, and books and his focus comes quickly back to Dan standing there awkwardly in gray sweat-pants and a black ratty tee-shirt. Phil thinks Dan looks quite cute, his hair is kind of curly and has soft waves in it, and his face looks freshly washed, but his eyes seem slightly red, perhaps from crying? Phil decides not to press the subject, he invited himself over, it's not far for him to start judging what Dan does in his alone time.

"Do I get to see your roof-hideout?" Phil asks, adjusting the still blaring music form the radio on the dresser. Dan nods and leads Phil out of his window and across the roof to Dan's, now seeming much smaller, roof hideout.

"It's cozy," Phil says, trying to let his teeth chatter. It's quite cold out and the old moldy duvet their on isn't providing much warmth. Phil reaches into his backpack and pulls out a small blanket. Dan furrows his brow in confusion.

"Why are you carrying that around Lester?" Dan asks, picking at the blanket. Phil shrugs but unfolds it and lies it over him and Dan. Dan tries to stay as still as possible, but Phil curls up his legs and rests his head on Dan's shoulder. The moment Phil's ebony haired head connects with Dan's shoulder, every muscle in Dan's body stiffens. This is a turn of events to say the least, Dan muses to himself.

"So, what were you doing here in the first place," Dan asks, as Phil burrows himself into Dan, trying to curl into the tinniest ball a 6 foot 2 guy can get into.

"I came to drop off some extra stuff I got yesterday for the shoot," He mumbles sleepily, goosebumps rising on his arms. Dan cautiously puts an arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer to give him more warmth.

"So about that kiss yesterday?" Dan says quietly, wanting to make sure what he thinks is happening is actually happening.

"It was nice, you're not a bad kisser for a year 10," Phil smirks. "Also I'm sorry, it was wrong for me to do that and then storm off."

"Come on, we're like 2 months apart! And, it's alright, everybody has those days," Dan says mad that Phil put him in that little kid box, but happy he apologized for that awkwardness yesterday.

"Good, thank you. And relax Howell, it was meant to be cute and endearing. But you're adorable when you're pissed so it's ok," Phil says, motioning for Dan to curl up with him. Dan does carefully, so that they are both in little balls facing each other, their hands entertained under the blankets. Then Phil leans a bit closer, and so does Dan and they kiss. It's like a thousand little firework erupt in their stomachs, and Dan finally feels happy. Happy to be around Phil, happy to be with a guy not some another hand-picked by his parents sunday school girl, and happy to be tucked away with Phil, from all the drama, right under their noses, flaunting their happiness in secret.


	5. Chapter 5

_Wow. No way in hell i'm finishing this piece of shit. it's been like 2 years lmfao. i found this chapter on my computer, idek this is probably going to be the last thing ever posted to this story. sorry._

Monday morning, Dan stands at his locker. He twirls his lock, until it pops open with a clang echoing around the practically empty hallway. Dan swings open the small metal door and reaches inside, pulling out his Maths and Geometry text books. He slings his bag to his front and leans his head down to put his books in his bag. His shaggy, in brutal need of a trim, fringe falls in front of his face.

Phil spots Dan, from the enterance of the building. There is no one in the hallways but a clearly hung-over year 9, wandering around with sunglasses and a mug of coffee, holding their head in their hand. Phil wonders if he should walk over to Dan. After the visit to Dan's house over the weekend, Phil had been avoiding him, not knowing what to say after the awkward cuddle.

Out of the corner of Dan's eye, he spots Phil standing awkwardly by the door, his eyes darting between Dan and the hungover girl. Dan zips up his bag and shuts his locker, startling the girl, who spills her coffee on the floor. She curses and scampers away clutching her head. Dan snickers, and walks toward Phil who's eyes are huge and scared.

"Morning Lester," Dan says, trying to sound sultry. Phil raises an eyebrow, and the fear in his eyes lessen.

"Good morning Dan," He laughs. tucking his fringe behind his ear.

"I want to show you something," Dan whispers, standing up on his tip-toes to say into Phil's ear. Phil gets a smirk on his face, and nods at Dan to lead the way. Dan grins, and grabs Phil's hand leading him out of the main building and towards the deserted locked rooms by the football field.

They enter the room, and Dan calls out to make sure no one is there. Hardly anybody uses the room, after they installed brand new ones that attach to the school, and aren't a 15 minute walk from it.

"What do you want to show me?" Phil asks, suddenly knowing where this will be going. "We only have 20 minutes till' the bell rings. You better not make me late," Phil chastise.

"You'll be on time to your class, don't worry. Now shut up," Dan commands, standing up on his tip-toes, a new wave of courage washing over him, as he kisses Phil. Dan's chapped and vanilla tasting lips collide with Phil's soft and cherry tasting lips, in sparks. Phil's hands curl pieces of Dan's hair, as they continue to kiss. Dan pushes his hips against Phil's, and Phil runs one hand under Dan's tee-shirt, touching his bare back. Dan shivers when Phil touches his back, and pulls back gasping for air.

"Where did all this confidence come from?" Phil asks, breathless, and his hair tousled and messy from Dan's groping hands.

"I dunno, you were just standing there… looking so god damn cute, I couldn't control myself," Dan laughs. Phil blushes and ducks his head. Dan puts a finger under Phil's china and lifts his head back, and kisses him gently. Phil kisses back, more aggressive this time. The two boys fall into sync. Kissing, touching, caressing, all in tune with each other.

Dan moves his one hand down onto Phil's hip, and stick one finger in-between the waist of his pants. Phil squirms anxiously, and Dan takes a step back.

"Are you ok?" He asks. Phil looks at the ground, clearly flustered.

"I'm fine, I just don't want to have our first time be here, at school and all that." Phil mumbles sheepishly. Dan nods, and steps back from him.

"That's alright, sorry if I seemed like I was forcing this." Dan blushes a deep maroon, as he says this. Phil is quick to raise his hands and shake his head violently.

"Nononono, you're totally fine! I'm sorry I lead you on," He says. Dan laughs and takes his hand.

"Come on we're gonna be late for class you goof," Dan says playfully as he leads Phil out of the abandoned locker rooms.


End file.
